Underground Tank Remediation

You would think by now that most abandoned underground fuel tanks have been removed. Not so. In just the past month, our Environmental Department addressed four tank related issues.

Heirs to an Estate Inherit a Tank: Upon the death of their mother, the family prepared to sell her 1960’s home only to find a leaking underground tank. Boucher & James, Inc. assisted with proper removal of contaminated soils to acquire the clean bill of health needed to sell the property.

Vacant Lot Offers Hidden Surprise: Buyers of a lot (from an estate sale) learned, through review of historic maps, that a gasoline tank may exist beneath the site. Boucher & James, Inc. performed exploration and removal work to address the 1920’s riveted tank.

Former School Properties Contain Huge Tanks: In one case, the site of a 1940’s demolished school yielded a 10,000 gallon underground fuel oil tank. In the second situation, an athletic field revealed two fuel tanks from a former bus fueling station. Leak testing of the bus tanks verified they will not be a major issue for the buyer.

Historic Tank Removal Project Warranted Revisiting: A business loan was delayed until it could be verified the site of a tank allegedly removed was not a liability. The tank had been removed without proper process needed to comfort the bank of there being no remnant contamination.

All the above examples caused considerable stress to the landowners. Their loans and sales were delayed and could have been lost.

The fundamental message from these examples is to make sure any existing or historic tanks on your property are addressed now, instead of during a critical time in your life.